Results 18,301-18,320 of 40,550 for speaker:Joan Burton

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am happy to say I have had opportunities to personally visit CE schemes in most parts of the country and have had lengthy discussions with scheme sponsors and the people working on different schemes to see for myself the kind of work being done in communities throughout the country. I am more convinced than ever that CE has an important role to play in communities in providing the range...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I am confident the future of community employment schemes is very strong and positive and that the Government will remain committed to funding them while making provision for savings and reforms in them which will cut down on unnecessary duplication of administration. This may, unfortunately, have crept into the schemes during Deputy O’Dea’s time in power.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Community Employment Schemes (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I regret that the facts are inconvenient for Deputy O'Dea. As a consequence of the review, many community employment schemes have applied for additional places. This is a strong sign of how much the services provided by the schemes are in demand. In the context of the budget, this is something I will be discussing with my colleagues. Since I became Minister, I have set up two additional...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 106, 108, 125, 131 and 141 together. There are currently approximately 89,000 persons in receipt of rent supplement, for which the Government has provided €436 million in 2012. Revised rent limits are applicable to new rent supplement tenancies from January 2012 and existing tenancies on review. These limits were set up after an analysis of the most...

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I wish to inform the Deputy from Dún Laoghaire that the rent limit for a couple with three children in Dún Laoghaire for a three bedroom house is €950 per month.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: For people at work who are paying tax, it represents a lot of money to pay rents to landlords of €950 per month.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: These taxpayers are paying tax and PRSI. Deputy Boyd Barrett seems to be on a mission to raise rents for landlords, but I believe he is wrong to try to raise rents for private landlords.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: We are paying for it.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Taxpayers in this country will pay €435 million in rent supplements to private landlords.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Coming from Dún Laoghaire, Deputy Boyd Barrett may feel that €435 million is a small amount of money but it is not a small amount of money to me.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Dún Laoghaire and the south-side may well be different. The Government is currently supporting 89,000 persons in rented accommodation.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: One can scoff at that, at a cost of €435 million.

Ceisteanna - Questions (Resumed) - Other Questions: Rent Supplement Scheme Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: Some 42,000 rents have been renegotiated so far this year using the limits.

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Question Nos. 107 and 128 together. Family and child income support payments assist parents in contributing to the costs associated with raising children and play a very important role in the objective of reducing child poverty. It should be noted that expenditure this year on child benefit, qualified child increases on primary social welfare payments, the family income...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Payments (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The current total of 421,490 persons on the Live Register includes over 80,000 casual workers in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance or jobseeker’s benefit. It is recognised that a changing labour market has resulted in a move away from the more traditional work patterns, with a consequent increase in the number of casual workers. In tandem many large employers currently have...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Child Benefit Rates (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: I propose to take Questions Nos. 110, 119, 120, 126, 137, 138, 338 and 383 together. The Revised Estimates for my Department provide for expenditure in 2012 of nearly €20.55 billion. This includes expenditure of €2.08 billion on child benefit, some €6.26 billion on pensions and €3.44 billion on illness, disability and caring schemes. In total, expenditure on...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Carer's Allowance Eligibility (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: A fundamental qualification condition for carer’s allowance, carer’s benefit and the respite care grant is that the applicant provide full time care and attention to a person who needs such care. To support their social inclusion and continued attachment to the work force, carers may engage in some limited employment, education or training, while still being regarded as being...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Pension Provisions (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The Report on Pension Charges 2012 was undertaken by my Department with support from the Central Bank and Pensions Board. The primary objective of the report was to gather information on the level of pension charges levied, to assess whether these charges are reasonable and transparent, to report on the findings and to make recommendations. The report highlights a wide range of issues in...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: National Advocacy Service (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The National Advocacy Service was established under the Citizens Information Board in January 2011, to provide an independent , confidential and free, representative advocacy service to vulnerable people with disabilities who cannot self advocate, while supporting others to use mainstream services. The Budget assigned to the National Advocacy Service in 2012 is €3.2m During 2011...

Written Answers — Department of Social Protection: Free Travel Scheme (13 Nov 2012)

Joan Burton: The free travel scheme is currently available to all people living in the State aged 66 years or over, to carers and to customers under 66 who are in receipt of certain disability type payments. The scheme permits customers to travel for free on most CIE public transport services, LUAS and a range of services offered by up to 90 private operators in various parts of the country. Expenditure...